Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – January 19, 2025
In the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup: a trade that would’ve sent Canucks center J.T. Miller to the Rangers stalls, updates on Elias Pettersson and Brock Boeser, and the latest on Mikko Rantanen and Andrei Kuzmenko.
THE LATEST ON THE CANUCKS
SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reported the Vancouver Canucks were believed to be close to a trade that would’ve sent J.T. Miller to the New York Rangers. However, it appears that the deal is off for now.
At one point, it appeared the 31-year-old center would’ve been held out of the lineup from Saturday’s game against the Edmonton Oilers. Friedman claimed things had progressed where it looked like he wouldn’t play.

Vancouver Canucks center J.T. Miller (NHL Images)
Friedman said the Canucks sent a note around the league last week warning teams against talking to any of their players without the club’s permission. However, he believes several teams have permission to speak with Miller but he’s unsure who they are.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Friedman wasn’t sure why the deal didn’t go through. CHEK-TV’s Rick Dhaliwal reported Miller hadn’t been asked to waive his no-movement clause.
This situation could change quickly so it’ll be worth monitoring. Hopefully, we’ll get more details as to why the deal with the Rangers stalled and whether it can be salvaged. We might also learn which clubs could be speaking to Miller and his representatives.
Turning to Miller’s teammate Elias Pettersson, Friedman said the 26-year-old center lacks no-trade protection this season. He wants to stay in Vancouver and Friedman thinks the Canucks’ preference is to keep him.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pettersson is five years younger than Miller and is in his playing prime now. Miller remains in his prime but most of his best years are behind him.
Meanwhile, Friedman’s colleague Iain MacIntyre reports Canucks winger Brock Boeser acknowledged he could be moved if the club hasn’t turned things around by the March 7 trade deadline.
The 27-year-old Boeser can become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. He knows he hasn’t played well this season, admitting that management could view him as a trade candidate leading up to March 7.
Boeser netted a career-high 40 goals and 73 points in 2023-24. He has 15 goals and 27 points in 37 games this season. MacIntyre noted that management has been lukewarm in comments about re-signing the winger, partly because of the ongoing drama involving Miller and Pettersson.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Boeser has a cap hit of $6.65 million this season and a 10-team no-trade list. He’ll draw plenty of interest if the Canucks peddle him before March 7 and should fetch a good return.
AVALANCHE WON’T SHOP RANTANEN
RG.ORG: Jim Biringer cites a source saying Colorado Avalanche general manager Chris MacFarland had found contract negotiations with Mikko Rantanen tougher than he thought they would be.
The 28-year-old winger is UFA-eligible on July 1. It’s rumored he’s seeking a deal comparable to the $14 million AAV that Leon Draisaitl will make with the Edmonton Oilers starting next season. The Avalanche would prefer he signs for something close to teammate Nathan MacKinnon’s $12.6 million.
It’s been rumored that the Avalanche could shop Rantanen if he’s unsigned by the March 7 trade deadline. However, Biringer’s source said the Avs have no appetite to do that because of how valuable Rantanen is to the lineup.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Worse comes to worse, Rantanen becomes the Avalanche’s “own rental” as they attempt to stage another run for the Stanley Cup.
FLAMES UNLIKELY TO MOVE KUZMENKO
CALGARY SUN: A reader recently asked Wes Gilbertson if Flames winger Andrei Kuzmenko could become a trade chip before March 7.
Gilbertson is doubtful given Kuzmenko’s scoring woes this season. The 28-year-old winger has only two goals and 11 points in 33 games. He’s two years removed from his 39-goal, 75-point debut with the Vancouver Canucks and had 46 points in 72 games last season split between the Canucks and the Flames.
Kuzmenko is UFA-eligible in July. He has a $5.5 million cap hit and a 12-team no-trade clause.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flames could peddle Kuzmenko if they fall out of playoff contention by the trade deadline. They’ll likely have to retain part of his salary and won’t get much in return.
Miller + Desharnais to NYR for Chytil and Borgan and Kaliyev
The Rangers having 3 31 year old centers will look bad in 2 years.
There are restrictions on trading waiver claimed players. Kaliyev can’t get moved
A deal needs to be near cap equal
Counter offer
Desharnais for Grzylcyk straight up
Why would the Canucks trade for a middle 6 forward, a bottom 4 defenseman and a waiver pickup for a number 1 Centre ? Make zero sense
Have to wonder if maybe Zibanejad was holding up a deal. His name has been mentioned and would be a swap that makes sense salary wise. Full nmc. It wasn’t reported yesterday as well that 2-3 AHL players were held out of game in Hartford.
Re Canucks,
if the dont hurry up and get a Trade done with
Centre TJ. Millar… they are going to be in trouble
NYR offered up a Swap Mika Zibanejad for Millar
if NYR want Millar it has to be a better trade
maybe they add a few more players each and to make the money work out for both..❓
NYR Send
Centre, Mika Zibanejad $8.4M
d/man Borgen $2.75.M and
25 yr old forward Filip Chytil $4.3M
==$14.7.M
To
The Canucks for
Centre, TJ.Millar $8.M
d/man Vincent Desharnais $2.M
d/man Erik Brannstrom $900,000
F, Nils Hoglander, $1.1M
==$12.M
Thoughts……❓
Why is NY in a hurry to get that deal done? They have bounced everywhere from a 2.6% chance to a 16% chance of making the playoffs in recent weeks. Last night they jumped to an 28% chance. But that will easily slide back into the teens in a couple of days.Even with NY playing much better hockey of late, the teams in front of them haven’t really been cooperating.
We’re a month+ from the trade deadline. It will literally take a divine intervention to get them into the playoffs. And even if they did, I don’t see them going deep.
i don’t see Miller or any one player out there being that Devine intervention.
I also believe the trade you’re suggesting is far too complex this time of year. You don’t see that many salaries / bodies moving in any single trade in the cap era. Definitely not a mid season type of deal.
At this point, Drury should concentrate on Hagens and being a seller at the deadline.
Agree on most but Can’t see Rangers picking top 4 to get Hagens
They could still make playoffs but as you’ve pointed out; it’s more the current play of those teams above them that are likely ensuring missing the playoffs; and not the outcomes of Rangers games going forward
I think Rangers end up like Pens…. Picking somewhere in the 7th – 14th spots
Here are the draftees likely to go in that range:
McQueen C/W 6’ 5”, 195: 8-3-11 in 8 GP
Desnoyers C , 6’ 2”, 175: 25-34-59 in 36 GP
Spence LW 6’2”, 205: 18-27-45 in 37 GP
Bear C/LW 6’, 180: 29-32-60 in 35 GP
Smith LD 6’3”, 195: 2-28-30 in 40 GP
Reid LD, 6’, 175: 8-25-33 in 43 GP
Frondel, C (Swedish League) , 6’ 0”, 196: 3-3-6 in 15 GP (consolidated ranking has him 5th?.)
Kindell , RW, 5’ 10”, 177, , 24-40-64 in 39 GP
CaptainObvious, a win by Montreal tonight at home against the NYR would tie them with the Bruins at 50 pts each, but they’d pass the Bruins on the basis of wins.
A win by NY, however, and they’d go to 49 pts, just 2 back of the 2wnd WC slot currently held by Columbus. (Ottawa just solidified their hold on the first WC spot with a 2-1 win over NJ this afternoon.
The Rangers are very much in the mix with a resurgent Shesterkin.
Zib has an NMC so would have to agree; not sure that’s happening
Chytil, Borgen , PLUS 1st (‘25) OR Othman
for Miller and a 2nd (‘25)
Still not ideal for NY. Why? For another center making 8 million? Not giving up a top 10 or Othmann when the season is running on life support.
If a deal is to be had, Zibanejad has to go the other way++. If he can’t, walk away.
Last night Sykora and Groulx and another AHL’er were kept out of the lineup in Hartford.
Bedard, Othmann and Perreault or this years 1st should be conversation stoppers! I seriously doubt Drury is even considering any of them.
Possibly Jones given his public ask for out, but that would be a mistake as well. But I don’t think Vancouver needs help on LD anyway.
Fair points
I was only trying to come up with a reasonable offer IF Zibinijad was not included (and he’s got full say in this)
The 1st I was proposing was to of course have been top 10 protected (I failed to say that)
If there was (as reported by Friedman) a pending agreement yesterday for JT Miller, then it didn’t include Zib as no outlet that I can find has posted that Zib was approached about waving
Agree, not likely Canucks were looking at K Miller as part of package; but, if they were,
What would Rangers have added to K Miller to get JT?
Re; NHL
They got to Stop the NMC….
Maybe they have to re-write this to a Max of
3 or 4 Players top’s with this on Each of the teams….❓
Its quite Exciting for the Fan’s when they are talking Trades and then player Wont Wave there NTC so the Team can make a trade….
Trades that are bad for both sides don’t translate to good trades.
You’re taking two key pieces and surrounding each with poor spare parts.
Must be hard playing for Vancouver with vultures hanging about piecing together conjecture, rumor, mixed reality and bs……..knowing that one day the guess will be right..
The pundits resemble Paparazzi without cameras.
Not Hoggie. Maybe DeGuisseppe.
Morgan Rielly to Vancouver for Miller. Both need a restart in their careers.
Morgan Rielly to Vancouver for Miller.Both need a restart in their careers.
Trade Millar, Boeser and Deharnais to Boston for Zadorov, Poitras and Zacha
Add Frederic
Zibanejad swap for Miller was rejected by Vancouver.
Rangers can’t just add another 31 year old center.
It’s probably Trochek & Schneider + a prospect & a pick, but the deal got held up as Rangers still don’t want to give up Schneider & offered 2 prospects & a pick.( 2 prospects from the 4 held up from play in Hartford).
Vancouver still hasn’t asked Miller to waive his NMC, so dead deal for now.
Vancouver has given some teams to talk to Miller, as he controls where he goes due to his NMC.
The seemingly important 3 teams in order of Miller’s preference would be Rangers, Devils & Columbus.
With last night’s win and likely some more positive results Vancouver could just hold on for a wee little bit more.
Despite Miller’s bad reads in last few games, Coach Tocchet still seems to be on his side even though management (& fans) think Miller’s time in Vancouvr is coming to a close, sadly.
So Brooks says it’s LaFreniere and Vancouver wants Schneider. If those are the discussions someone needs to get the straight jacket for Drury fast or at least disconnect his phone.